Cuiabá is a large and quite noisy city: after all, it is the capital of the state of Mato Grosso, which attracts residents of the entire region. Therefore, you especially appreciate the fact that there is an island of wild nature. Moreover, is also located in the center of the city. On a hot Brazilian day, a walk in the Mãe Bonifácia State Park is a real pleasure!
The Mãe Bonifácia State Park covers an area of 77 hectares. This is a very popular place among both locals and tourists. People come there for family outings with children, picnics, sports (there are playgrounds and running tracks). Besides, there are five ecological trails on the territory, the longest of which is 3.5 kilometers long. Walking through them, you can see the extraordinary flora of the Cerrado, a vast territory of tropical savanna in Brazil. Another feature of this place is the observation deck, which offers a view of the entire Cuiabá. The viewing angle is 300 degrees!
By the way, there is a great chance to meet white-headed monkeys as well as some other medium-sized primates. However, there are not so many animals there.
According to one interesting legend, the Mãe Bonifácia State Park was named after a healer, who helped the slaves to hide from their masters at the turn of the 19th century. At that time, the park was a dense forest where fugitives hid. It is not known how accurate this information, there are no written sources about the woman's life. However, there is a statue of her in the green zone.
The Mãe Bonifácia State Park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The entrance is free of charge. On weekdays, it is visited by about 600 people. And on weekends there are up to 3 thousand guests.